Klopp told Ancelotti that Atletico Madrid tie should never have gone ahead

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Jurgen Klopp told him it was a “criminal act” to allow Liverpool’s game against Atletico Madrid to go ahead earlier this month.
Atletico ran out 3-2 winners in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, which was staged in front of a capacity crowd at Anfield.

The Premier League season was put on hold – initially until the start of April – two days after Liverpool’s defeat.

And Ancelotti says that Klopp told him that the game should never have been played amid the escalating coronavirus crisis.

“I spoke with Klopp a few days ago, he told me that the decision to play Liverpool-Atletico was a criminal act and I think he’s right,” the Everton boss told Corriere dello Sport.

“We are all living a life that we were not used to and that will change us profoundly. I’m sure we will all have to downsize, starting with football.

“Today, the priority is health, limiting the contagion. When you start again, when you finish, the dates … believe me, I don’t care. At the moment, that’s the last thing on my mind.

“I hear talk about cutting salaries, suspension of payments. They seem like inopportune solutions. Soon the economy will change, and that’s at all levels: the TV rights will be less, players and coaches will earn less, tickets will cost less because people will have less money.

“I repeat, what matters now is to fight the virus effectively. Then, of course, if it will be possible to continue the season … otherwise, amen.

“It makes me laugh, the people who are always talking about the time it will take to prepare [to play again]. There are even those who are talking about three weeks of training. It’s a joke, the preparations are a false myth.

“I remember in 2006, due to the Calciopoli, how Milan fell out of the top four and withdrew from Europe. Then, to help Lazio from being relegated, they took away some of the penalty and we were forced to qualify for the Champions League.

“I had to call the guys who were on their holidays because four days later we would have to play Red Star [Belgrade]. Cafu returned 24 hours prior and played 90 minutes. If you want, I can remind you how it ended in May. But I think you already know that.”